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Norway's Final World Cup Warm-up: Likely Starting XI Against Morocco Revealed
🇳🇴 Norway /Sports

Norway's Final World Cup Warm-up: Likely Starting XI Against Morocco Revealed

From Aftenposten · () Norwegian

Translated from Norwegian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • Norway's national football team will play their final friendly match against Morocco on Sunday, June 6, 2026, in New Jersey.
  • Coach Ståle Solbakken plans to use the match as a full dress rehearsal for the World Cup, replicating travel and match conditions.
  • The likely starting lineup includes key players like Martin Ødegaard and Erling Braut Haaland, with Ødegaard expected to play significant minutes after a recent injury layoff.

Norway's national football team is set to face Morocco in their last friendly match before the World Cup on Sunday, June 6, 2026. The game will be held at the World Cup stadium in New Jersey, with coach Ståle Solbakken emphasizing its importance as a final preparation.

The match will be played as if it is the World Cup. For us, it is absolutely perfect. It's the same way of traveling, the same rules, water breaks. Everything is tailored so that it should be a dress rehearsal both on and off the pitch.

— Ståle SolbakkenNational team coach Ståle Solbakken describing the preparations and importance of the friendly match against Morocco.

Solbakken stated that the match will be treated as if it were a World Cup game, meticulously replicating travel arrangements, rules, and even water breaks. "The match will be played as if it is the World Cup. For us, it is absolutely perfect. It's the same way of traveling, the same rules, water breaks. Everything is tailored so that it should be a dress rehearsal both on and off the pitch," Solbakken explained during a press conference.

It feels like the most obvious eleven to start against Morocco, since he says that it will be 'coached as usual' and will use this as a test match before the World Cup opener. There is no surprise at all if these are the 11 Solbakken goes with.

— Trond JohannessenVG's national team commentator assessing the likely starting lineup for the match.

The likely starting eleven, as drilled during a recent training session, includes goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland, defenders Julian Ryerson, Kristoffer Ajer, Torbjørn Heggem, and David Møller Wolfe, midfielders Martin Ødegaard, Sander Berge, and Fredrik Aursnes, and forwards Alexander Sørloth, Erling Braut Haaland, and Antonio Nusa. VG's national team commentator Trond Johannessen considers this lineup the "most obvious" choice for the Morocco match.

There are no limitations placed on him. He could very well play 90 minutes.

— Ståle SolbakkenCoach Solbakken commenting on captain Martin Ødegaard's fitness and potential playing time.

Captain Martin Ødegaard is expected to play his first international match since September, with Solbakken confirming there are "no limitations" on him and he could play the full 90 minutes. Ødegaard himself stated he feels fit and has been managing his workload as planned. Morocco, ranked eighth globally and considered Africa's top team, reached the World Cup semifinals four years ago and are the reigning African champions, though their title win was controversial and is under appeal.

It is quite normal in football to manage the load a bit, so it was planned, yes.

— Martin ØdegaardNational team captain Martin Ødegaard explaining his managed training load.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Aftenposten in Norwegian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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